Method of balancing current volume and steam generation by use of current conducting films



llnl lllllll GQW. WATSON CONDUCTING FILMS Filed Jan.

GENERATION BY USE OF CURRENT METHOD OF BALANCING CURRENT VOLUME ANDSTEAM May 29, 1956 INVENTOR. 6251/11 4/. 4 0750 4 1' ran as UnitedStates Patent METHOD or BALANCING CURRENT VoLUME AND, STEAM GENERATIONBY USE or con- RENT CONDUCTING FILMS Glenn W. Watson, Detroit, -Mich.Application January 4, 1 9'54, SerialNo. 402,010

3 Claims. (Cl. 219'-40) The present invention pertains to an automaticcurrent flow balancing and regulating method'for'an electronic vaporgenerator, particularly of the type as shown in my U. S. Patent No.2,451,594, of October 19, 1948.

The device as shown in this patent includes a conducting receptacle anda conductor suspended in the receptacle and terminating at a relativelyshort distance from the bottom thereof. The liquid in the bottom of thereceptacle is originally conductive or is made slightly conductive. Thespacing of the electrode from the wall of the receptacle is such that,when current flows 'in the liquid at the bottom of the receptacle, filmsof liquid'will rise in the space between the electrode and the walls ofthe receptacle. These films'are conductors and consumers of current andare instantly vaporized "as described in the patent. The quantity ofcurrent fiowingin the system varies according to the height of thecolumn of filmsfor the number of film consumers in the circuit.

The principal objector this invention is to provide a constancy ofcurrent consumption'with an apparatus that makes use of this phenomenonas a control for the flow of liquid into the receptacle, and hence the-number of films. -When the column of films has reached a predeterminedmaximum quantity, there is sufficient liquid in the receptacle, and theinlet should then be closed; conversely, when the column of films hasfallen to a predetermined minimum quantity, the inlet should be opened.

In the accomplishment of this object and in accordance with theserequirements, the liquid intake to the receptacle is controlled by asolenoid valve. The solenoid is energized and de-energized by operationof a switch which in turn is governed by the strength of the currentflowing through the system. A micro-switch is employed for this purpose,and its lever is actuated by an armature which is displaced by a coilconnected in the circuit.

The liquid valve is normally open, when the device is in operation, andthe micro-switch is normally closed. These conditions prevail when lessthan maximum current flows through the system, that is, when the columnof films is at less than its maximum quantity. When the maximum quantityis reached, the current strength in the system is at maximum, and theparts are so adjusted that at this time the coil displaces the armaturetherein to open the micro-switch and de-energize the solenoid of thevalve, whereupon the valve closes When the column of films has droppeddue to vaporization to a point signitying that more liquid is requiredin the receptacle, the current strength has dropped sufliciently topermit the parts to return to the described normal position wherein theintake valve is opened.

The invention is fully described by way of example in the followingdescription and in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is avertical section of the apparatus, showing also the wiring diagram, and

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, show ing the liquidat a somewhat depressed level.

In Figure 1 is shown a steam generator of the general Patented May 29,1956 'ice type shown and described in my United States Patents No.2,451,954 of October 19, 1948, and No. 2,510,672 of June 6, 1950. Inview of these disclosures a brief description of the instant generatorwill suffice.

that initially touch the surface of the liquid and thereafter inoperation engage only the small baskets 5 of film formed beneath thetips.

The upper end'of the electrode is formed as a rod 3 passing through thetop of 'the receptacle and secured therein by suitable fastening means.A conductor 6 is secured to the fastening means or the rod 3 by aclamping nut S, and the rod 3 is insulated at 10 from the top of thereceptacle. A water inlet pipe 12 extends to the bottom of the vesselii, and a steam outlet 14 extends from the top to the point or pointsWhere steam is to be used, such as radiators, boilers and the like. i

The pipe 12 has a valve seat 16 controlled by a solenoid valve. Thelatter comprises a winding 18 within which is an armature 20 carryingone end with a valve plug 22 adapted to engage the seat. This valve isconventional in character. Water is admitted to the opposite end 24 ofthe pipe 12 from a tank or other source. One end of 'the winding 18 isjoined by a conductor 26 to ground at'ZS, and the conducting wall of thevessel 1 is also "end of the solenoid. The micro-switch is ofconventional design which will now be described. The actuating lever360i the switch has a fixed fulcrum 38 on the body of the switch. Oneend of the arm 36 is pivoted to a suspended'plate ifi having a verticalslot 42. A screw 44- passed through the slot into the body of the switchenables vertical adjustment of the plate on the body and enablesadjustment of the lever arms of the member 36 by pivotal adjustment ofthe plate 40 on the screw 44.

Above the arm 36 is a coil 46 of enameled heavy wire of about one-eighthinch diameter. One end of the winding is connected at 48 to theconductor 6 and the other end by a conductor 50 to a power source 52.

In the coil 46 is mounted a tubular armature 54 set in an insulatingsleeve 56. The coil is supported by an insulated bracket 57. In thearmature is secured a brass nut 53 through which is threaded a brassscrew 60 extending outward of the armature and resting on the arm 36. Bymeans of the screw, the position of the armature 54- in the coil may beregulated, with the result that various current strengths may berequired to operate the switch 32. The usual return spring (not shown)within switch 32 presses upward on arm 36. Conductors 62 and 64 extendrespectively from the conductor 48 and the remaining terminal of theswitch 32 to a thermostat or other switches for controlling the flow ofcurrent in the shunt circuit that includes the switch 32 and the winding18.

In the operation of the device, when the body of water or other liquid66 in the bottom of the vessel 1 engages the lower end of the electrode2, with current available thereto, water films 68 will rise in thespaces between the electrode and the walls of the vessel. These films,grounded through the wall of the vessel 1 and the conductor 30, carrycurrent and rapidly become vaporized by the current flowing throughthem, as fully described in the foregoing patents. It will thus be seenthat the circuit from amazes it the source 52 includes the coil 46, theconductor 6, the electrode 2, the films, the vessel 1 and conductor 30.

The solenoid valve 18-22 is so constructed as to take an open positionwhen current is flowing in the winding 18. The micro-switch 32 is in aclosed position when the armature 54 exerts little pressure on the arm36 other than its weight. Increased current in the coil 46 is necessaryto depress the armature 54 and open the switch 32. Decreased currentpermits the spring action within the micro-switch to return armature 54to its original position. A variance of current is thus used to create anearly constant volume of steam.

The amount of current flowing in the system increases as the quantity ofvolume of films 68 rises, since more conducting films are progressivelyformed. Such increased current will ultimately be sufficient to depressthe armature 54. The current strength for this operation ispredetermined by adjustment of the screw 60 and the nut 58, body of theswitch 32 as previously set forth.

The increase of the films 68 to the required quantity and consuming apredetermined volume of current is an indication that there issufiicient water in the body of the vessel 1. At this time, the armature54 is depressed as described, acting on the arm 36 to open the switch32, de-energize the coil 18, close the valve 22, on seat 16 and cut offthe supply of water to the vessel 1. Conversely, when the films haveevaporated to reduce the column to a predetermined lesser quantity, lesscurrent will flow through the system, the armature 54 will rise, switch32 will close, and the solenoid valve will open to admit more water.

This method may be used to maintain water level in large steam boilers,etc. Also, the armature 54 may be a part of or connected directly to thevalve 22, thereby eliminating the micro-switch.

What I claim is:

1. The method of balancing current volume and steam generation by use ofcurrent consuming and steam producing conducting films, consisting inmounting an electrode in initial surface contact with a body of liquidcontained in a current-conducting vessel, whereby films of liquid risebetween said electrode and the walls of said vessel, providing a fluidinlet to the bottom of said vessel with a valve in said inlet,incorporating in the circuit of said films and vessel an electricalmeans operable on pre-determined current strengths to actuate saidvalve, whereby the operation of said valve is dependent on the amount ofcurrent consumed by the varying quantity of said number of films in saidvessel.

2. The method of balancing current volume and steam generation by use ofcurrent consuming and steam producing conducting films, consisting inmounting an electrode in initial surface contact with a body of liquidcontained in a current-conducting vessel, whereby films of liquid risebetween said electrode and the walls of said vessel, providing a fluidinlet to the bottom of said vessel with a valve in said inlet,incorporating in the circuit of said films and vessel a solenoidoperable on pre-determined current strength and connected to said valve,whereby the operation of said valve is dependent on the amount ofcurrent consumed by the varying quantity of said number of films in saidvessel.

3.The method of balancing current volume and steam generation by use ofcurrent consuming and steam producing conducting films, consisting inmounting an electrode in initial surface contact with a body of liquidcontained in a current-conducting vessel, whereby films of liquid risebetween said electrode and the walls of said vessel, providing a fluidinlet to the bottom of said vessel with a valve in said inlet,incorporating in the circuit of said films and vessel a solenoidoperable on pre-determined current strength and connected to amicro-switch which in turn actuates said valve, whereby the operation ofsaid valve is dependent on the amount of current consumed by the varyingquantity of said-number of films in said vessel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,665,793 Sandborgh Apr. 10, 1928 1,738,733 Schur et al. Dec. 10, 19292,488,787 Watson Nov. 22, 1949

